Weight gain in women can be rooted in childhood traumas, a new national study finds.

The research, the first to examine the lifelong consequences of stress on weight change, shows that traumas may play a role in women’s eating behaviors even in adulthood. 

The study found that men’s eating behavior is largely unaffected by events such as family hardship, divorce, or having unstable parents.

University of Texas researchers analyzed data from 3,617 people (2,259 women and 1,358 men) enrolled in the Americans' Changing Lives survey. They looked at participants who experienced stressful events at age 16 or under.

Scientists found women to be more inclined to eat in order to cope with stress based on their childhood, whereas men are more likely to engage in emotional withdrawal or drinking alcohol.

The researchers said they hope the insights will lead to the development of new obesity treatments.